It's looks good I love it so much it's looks good I just needed to get ready for 100th birthday party anniversary celebration party years Walt's footsteps tour magic of the year made in USA contact info conjuring cast see me feel like doing anything fun with Disneyland before New Walt Disney company class starts with oasr awesome picture awards TCM channel interview with oasr awesome picture of Disney plus on Disney world and Disneyland before New history channel VIP tickets tour guide Legends
One prime example of a PERFECT marriage between prop and screen is the masterful scenes from the Bourne Stuntacular. There are scenes with the crowds or the light house where you CANNOT tell what part is the screen and what is a built out prop. Kudos to them.
When it works it does look very good, but sadly that's the caveat of that attraction, as I believe. I don't know if it has improved since I last was at universal Orlando, (back in 2020) but we tried watching it twice and the first viewing was stopped about 15 mins in, due to malfunction of effects. They skipped ahead the entire scene, but the rest of the show played out normally. The very next day we tried going again, but only 10 or so minutes after the part where it malfunctioned the previous day it stopped working again, this time they had to stop the show entirely. I loved it when it worked, but I'm kinda burned on it because of that experience.
@@reddawnstudios2016 Joey King conjuring series season start in Spanish language arts center spot on Joey King she was Chrisne Joey King she was in movie 1999 years before Toontown years before Joey King same born same time years before Disneyland before New 🆕 and make sure most amazing maze 🚨 I'm waiting on her own come back to look at
I love how the new queue contextualizes the ride itself. It not only shows highlights from Mickey's whole career, but it retains the evolving art style as well, whether that be traditional animation, CG, or the modern TV cartoon style. I feel like the Florida version will inevitably feel dated when this iteration of Mickey fades away. But it seems like it will age better in California since it's presented as one of many iterations of Mickey throughout his career.
As neat as Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway is as an attraction, nothing can ever replace the Great Movie Ride. The attraction is weirdly placed in the middle of Disney’s Hollywood Studios and it’s part of this ongoing issue I have of the theme park itself with this seemly weird identity crisis of what it is in terms of theming. It’s really become a confusing hodgepodge of Disney owned IPs placed at random in a park that used to be about the celebration of movie making. The attraction in my opinion works much better in Toon Town at Disneyland because 1) Mickey and Minnie are cartoons and 2) It’s adding to that section of the park rather than replacing anything, even though it’s nearly identical to the one in Florida.
When I hear people complain about the theming I wondered how big of a deal it really is. When I finally went in October I then understood, yeah it really is an issue. The rides were fun but walking around felt almost disorienting and I didn't have that much fun overall. At first you think who cares, as long as the rides are cool it doesn't matter but the atmosphere is just off.
Disney is having that problem in general. They need to just do a big change to DCA in Cali and DHS in Florida. It's starting to spread to other parks as well sadly due to bad decisions at the top. Princess and the Frog works in California but in Frontierland in Magic Kingdom? We'll see but I have my doubts.
@@mattmiller9809 yeah Tiana Bayou adventure in Disneyland seems like a perfect fit if they just include it with New Orleans Square or Critter Country. It’s a perfect transition between both. The same ride at Magic Kingdom feels like a stretch. But maybe they can pulll it off. But DCA is kind of a hot mess. Being able to see Avengers Campus from Radiator Springs breaks the immersion.
Totally agree that The Great Movie ride should have been updated with all classic Disney movie scenes instead of being replaced. This version of Runaway Railway did not replace a ride and has improvements over the studio version. What a nice combination!
One nice thing about the Mansion & Pirates is that they have "loop scenes" which we call it. Where the scenes keeps on playing & showing the samething so you'll never miss a thing.
I think having this ride book ended with Roger Rabbit and the meet and greets plus the new playgrounds will truly be a wonderful escape for families with small children. I also love the way the Disneyland Railway drops you at the front of Toontown! Great review I agree the El Capitoon theatre is a museum to the Mouse that Disneyland deserves.
I prefer physical animatronics as well. However, with M&MRR, I actually prefer the projected faces as it really adds to the drawn-by-hand visuals. I think the projected faces also work well in Radiator Springs. But yeah, I don’t like the projected faces anywhere else.
I’ve always felt like the ride would really benefit from having projections or extra detail on the ceilings for the scenes…Every time I ride the ride, the cutoff between the projection and the roof has always taken me out of it. Great review😎
The Runaway Railway is cute the first couple of times you ride it then it becomes a ride you can easily skip on future visits. GMR was re-ridable for decades. I never got tired of GMR. I was a tour guide there in the 90s. I am a little partial I guess.
We only rode GMR out of boredom (because the park was so limited on rides at the time). It was always a walk on. It was dated, and even the "actors" didn't seem to care about their roles.
I love Tom’s honest reviews! I love listening to you talk about Disney with passion. I feel like people praise anything Disney does good and bad. Hearing you talk about the faults is amazing. How will the company grow if all they hear is the good stuff. Please keep this series going!!
No apologize for quality! Appreciate you getting the video out quickly and it seems extra special to hear from someone still at Disneyland that just experienced the ride!
I hope they don’t ruin Tiana’s ride with screens/shortcuts. They have one chance to get it right and need to keep cute animatronics. That’s what fans love. We can watch screens at home.
I agree with you about the FL version, I’ve ridden it 4 times and I still have no idea what the “story” is! Why are we on a train? Mickey & Minnie are in a car, trains don’t go down waterfalls, then all of a sudden we’re in some mirrored pink room with an audio animatronic Daisy leading dance lessons? And we’re still in train cars??? What??? I’m hoping this will be the last trackless screen based ride at WDW. I don’t think I like it, or the animation style. Maybe one day I’ll get it…
You have made me so excited to go on this ride. Disneyland is my home resort and I love Toontown. I cannot wait for it to reopen and to go on this better version of this ride.
Tom, regardless where you film these reviews, the community appreciate it :) Being in the UK, it's great to hear your thoughts on this attraction, as well as others that you've done reviews for in the past. Might I add, I love the mini rants on News Today :)
Great review. Makes a lot of sense. I just hope they keep learning (or really re-learning) what makes Disney and Imaginering great. Thanks for the review Tom.
It’s so weird to see some people have a completely opposite reaction to the same ride. We love runaway and it is probably the biggest amazement we’ve seen from our 2 year old
I have wondered if age plays a role. I find the ride to be completely manic and bizarre. Like a Disney ride dreamt up while on an acid trip. However, I am middle aged and I think maybe younger folks will love the pacing and sensory overload.
Thank you for your fantastic, and honest review. The attraction is still a meh for me overall, but I like the Disneyland version slightly better than the WDW version.
Was looking forward to this and you did a great job with it! They really did knocked it out of the park with the queue and I'm glad the DL Imagineers got the budget and time to really do it well and also improve on the WDW version. Looking forward to the exit shop and the rest of the land.
Same thing happened with guardians of the galaxy cosmic rewind instead of animatronic they just have screens! And there are scenes with one screen and it feels soooo empty
I don't hate the Minnie and Mickey's Runaway Railroad, but I really miss the old Great Movie Ride. I have a GMR pin in my collection, and the story of how I got it is amazing. It came to me two years after GMR went away. I was at Magic Kingdom, and I wasn't feeling very well. The day before, when we were in the queue for Rise Of The Resistance at Galaxy's Edge, my wife got a phone call telling us her mother had passed away. A Cast Member noticed I was not very happy, and asked me why. I told her and she pulled that GMR pin out of her pocket and gave it to me. Honestly, it's not like it turned my day around completely, but the gesture was so kind and sincere that it really made a difference, and I will never forget it. Disney Cast Members are the BEST!!!
Tom, love the room you're in. Best backdrop. DL Pirates is far superior to the rushed Florida version. MM Runaway in DL is an example of how the sequel out doing the original. Look @ how ALL the Pirates evolved in storytelling, pacing, even boat/visual technology. Walt was a great storyteller. The frustration of Walt was not enough $$$, but when he got some, he'd come up with new techniques and with new tools, tell a better story. He knew when when a piece of "business" got in the way of telling a good story. Yep! basic stuff, like NOT showing "how" the magic is done is key to proper Imagineering. Thanks Tom + the Mickey shirt.
What a great, thorough, and enticing review, Tom! I totally trust your opinions and sensibilities as it concerns all things Disney. My GOSH you are so freaking GOOD at your JOB!!! Thank you. I’ll be at Disneyland in May to see for myself.
22:55 The way Tom's eyebrow goes up is perfect here. Also, this is the best Honest Review yet! I can't say I agree or disagree (since I haven't ridden either version), but my opinion is that the Disneyland version is certainly far superior in every way. I am a huge train fan, so the fact that the original Disneyland Railroad drops guests off at the Toontown station, only for them to ride Runaway Railway and exit through the EnginEar giftshop with a model railroad running around the ceiling is pure bliss.
Thank you so much for showing us the "new and improved" RR. We were feeling resentful for taking out Roger Rabbit sort of like your feeling of booting GMR, but at least they put some more effort in it. Resembles the care and detail that was put into the Art Deco details in CA ADventure, even in the stores. We could see and hear the emotion in your voice for the cue that told us that we would adore the Mousekateer era scene and the photos of Walt since that was our time. Now that it is open here, we're moving to FL so, oh well. We can come back and visit. Just know you probably had a part in inspiring and lobbying for these great upgrades. Let's hear it for ZANY!🤪🐭
I would love this ride a lot more, if they just built more of it physically. They could still use projection mapping to add a layer of cartoon which couldn’t otherwise be added. But instead, they just threw up a flat wall with a little bit of depth, and called it a day. I think the ending Park scene is a prime example of the power of the technology!
I just rode it for the first time tonight and the queue is gorgeous. It’s the perfect homage to Mickey and a jewel in the new Toontown refurbishment. Just what it needed. 👍🏻
Not gunna lie, this reminds me of what my brother said when we first got off! He called it clever which for him was one of the biggest compliments something can receive. For reference, he is a massive Star Wars nerd and his review of Rise of the Resistance was that it was "ok, it was fine" where as my review (being more of a Trek fanand actually not liking Star Wars at all) was that it was amazing and a must do when the wait is reasonable (so like below 75 minutes). Him saying Railway was clever was a glowing endorsement for this ride!
Solid honest review. People need to chill and understand that’s it’s all subjective and it’s ok to disagree. As a 40 year park goer myself. I can appreciate his point of view
Thank you sir for your thoughts and history with this ride. Did see your vidoe of the queue and was very impressed that it was so steeped in the history of Michley Mouse and really brings his career to life. Now hopefully DWorld's Tron coaster provides an improved experiece over the original.
That Christmas part remind me so much. I almost forget that short I love to watch in my childhood. The first time I saw that part, I feel familiar but can’t really think what it is until I saw the mini Santa. It such a great detail
Listening to your appreciation of the details in the cue made me sad remembering a time when everything at Disney had lavish care. May this be a turn around. And a pox on those jagoffs who've been nickel and diming it to death while living like drug cartel capos on their bonuses.
The problem with the ride animatronic figures is simply that this new animation style just doesn't translate well from 2D. I think that going with this style was a big mistake.
"I do not make films for children... or, at least, not primarily for children." "You're dead if you aim for kids." "We design the films to appeal to ourselves." "The adults have the money; ... children don't have any money." - Walt Disney
Are we not going to talk about how the window in the train where we see Goody has a curved top but it is clearly just a TV monitor with Goofy on it. It is cut off on the top. Easily fixable with a larger screen with the physical prop blocking/masking the edges. They did it better with the living seas with Nemo.
38:40 when i first saw this was in the ride queue, i thought of the shorts from playhouse disney or disney junior called mickey mousekesize, but now i think "not to be confused with those exercise-focused shorts" since that is not from my childhood
The style of the new Mickey cartoon shorts makes me think of Steamboat Willie. Honestly this version of Mickey feels more like the original Mickey than the 80s/90s Mickey.
I was there on Friday Tom. Once again, we didn't get on a new attraction because of the stupid boarding pass. How you got on twice is amazing. I'll probably get on Mickey's railway in about 2 years, which is how long it took to get on Rise of the resistance. I just wish Disney would dump the whole thing. It's no fun being on my phone all day...Keep up the great work!
I don't think I'll never not be a little sad that we didn't get The Great Muppet Movie Ride. That Miss Piggy/Busby Burkley scene would've been an amazing animatronic.
I agree the Mickey & Minnie in these rides are AWFUL! They cheaped out (Cheap-EK era). This ride needed to be a separate ride like it is in DL. It will eat up more riders. Unlike WDW where it doesn't. Also The GMR was designed to be upgraded & it wasn't. So when you don't do what you said, then complain that the ride is dated, the company has nobody to blame but themselves!
I'll have to go see it in person, but the El Capitoon theater seems to be plumb, with fairly straight lines, as opposed to the extremely "cartoony" curves of the Joe Lanzisero-designed 1993 Toontown. I think if I'm right, this demonstrates the problem with the current group of head Imagineers. Most of these Imagineers just don't seem to get it.
It's like runaway railway doesn't fit in place well in disney world, but in disneyland it fits right in toontown. Splash Mountain fit slightly better in Disneyland Critter Country than Disney World Frontierland, but the difference is amplified with Tiana'a Bayou
I agree. I got to go on GMR once, while I thought it was old looking and needed updating, I loved it. I thought of the Alien part after quite a bit. I rode Railway the year it opened in studios, when we walked out we said, aw it was cute and that's it, never thought about it again. I totally noticed the large rooms and bright eyes too. I truly wish they would stay with the details, the originality, the love, and the experience like before. That stays with you always.
The queue sounds amazing! I am in CT but would love to make another trip west and include this ride in my visit. I still mourn The Great Movie Ride but love Mickey & Minnie. But I was sorely disappointed my first ride on Runaway Railway in Florida. Its an ok ride but should never have replaced TGMR but given its own building and a not so boring queue. Thanks for the review Tom.
Wasn't Buzz Lightyear the first animatronic with a screen face? It was spectacular when the technology was new. Thank you for pointing out the "props" in the queue. What a brilliant idea.
Tom your so right about pacing on this ride. If your in the first car you only see the beginning of the action and in the last car most of the action is over. We realized the last time we rode it that if your in one of the middle cars it’s a much better ride. What a difference. Can’t wait to ride the West Coast version
Thank you for the review tom... The que area look very good better than DS version.. if I would go out , I would just do the que and tell them I don't need to do the ride....still as good as a best buy video room...again thank you... WIGS. 👍❤️👍❤️👍
Tbh I love the concept but Tom has valid points about it feeling like a large empty room with just screens. I’m also not a fan of the new cartoon style. Like exactly what Tom said about the animatronics is so true! Mickey and Minnie remind me of the jack in the box head. I don’t like the look of the art nor the voice of the new Mickey 😢
I'll be honest my favorite thing about florida MMRAR is that it did away with the just *dreadful* TCM overlay on the great movie ride. That overly really broke the magic for my enthusiasm towards the old ride and it's concept. The things I loved about the ride were clearly not sustainable, being the cast member & guest interaction, the feeling of being an active participant in a movie about movies. Other then that, I think it's a very cute attraction. It's sensory overload for me and the like 5-6 times I've ridden it, I've always been spotting and appreciating new things in the projections. I just really like the ride. I can't wait for someday to see the queue of the California version, it sounds like a real treat.
Thank you for this review. I never knew quite why I didn't care for Runaway Railway. This was like a light bulb moment. It's because every time I got off the ride, I felt like I didn't see half of it. It passed by in a blur. Thanks again.
I took my mom on the ride in HS and we where the last car. I knew what the ride was all about and knew the story but for my mom was so lost. You hardly get any of the actual story when your in the back.
Thank you Tom for your honest review. The Great Movie Ride was my favorite ride and I agree that it should have been updated or overhauled. Not replaced the way it was. I agree 1000% with everything you have said 🙂
My daughter is not a fan of rides that rely heavily of video screens. My problem with Runaway Railway is the lack of cohesive story. The dance studio scene, for example, makes no sense and certainly has NOTHING to do with a railroad train. I think it would be more fun if the runaway train cars went through chaos around a fictional cartoon city, like Mr. Toads wild ride
I rode the ride three times on my latest vacation, and honestly it's a great ride and I don't see why people hate it so much. I know, most of it ARE screens but to me the characters have depth on the screen which blew me away. It felt like this was a real lived-in world with all of the amazing animation. It's really nice to look at, and I don't think it's lazy at all. Also, why are people so upset about the story? That's not the point, really. Not every ride needs to have a Rise of the Resistance level of plot where the riders are integral to a plot, and this ride shines when it's just being a fun cartoon ride. My family is full of pessimist and we were all extremely happy after getting off. If you don't like it, fine. But I do, and that's what matters to me. :)
The great movie ride is one of the most fondest memories of my childhood. It lit a fire within me. Sad my children will never have the same experiences. I am not one for vapid experiences.
It's really nice that Toontown got some love. It's been forgotten for so so long. The hills were peeling forever.
It's looks good I love it so much it's looks good I just needed to get ready for 100th birthday party anniversary celebration party years Walt's footsteps tour magic of the year made in USA contact info conjuring cast see me feel like doing anything fun with Disneyland before New Walt Disney company class starts with oasr awesome picture awards TCM channel interview with oasr awesome picture of Disney plus on Disney world and Disneyland before New history channel VIP tickets tour guide Legends
One prime example of a PERFECT marriage between prop and screen is the masterful scenes from the Bourne Stuntacular. There are scenes with the crowds or the light house where you CANNOT tell what part is the screen and what is a built out prop. Kudos to them.
Hi buddy
🔥🔥🔥
When it works it does look very good, but sadly that's the caveat of that attraction, as I believe. I don't know if it has improved since I last was at universal Orlando, (back in 2020) but we tried watching it twice and the first viewing was stopped about 15 mins in, due to malfunction of effects. They skipped ahead the entire scene, but the rest of the show played out normally. The very next day we tried going again, but only 10 or so minutes after the part where it malfunctioned the previous day it stopped working again, this time they had to stop the show entirely. I loved it when it worked, but I'm kinda burned on it because of that experience.
@@reddawnstudios2016 Joey King conjuring series season start in Spanish language arts center spot on Joey King she was Chrisne Joey King she was in movie 1999 years before Toontown years before Joey King same born same time years before Disneyland before New 🆕 and make sure most amazing maze 🚨 I'm waiting on her own come back to look at
I love how the new queue contextualizes the ride itself. It not only shows highlights from Mickey's whole career, but it retains the evolving art style as well, whether that be traditional animation, CG, or the modern TV cartoon style. I feel like the Florida version will inevitably feel dated when this iteration of Mickey fades away. But it seems like it will age better in California since it's presented as one of many iterations of Mickey throughout his career.
The Mousketeer is probably my favorite gag fits well and it parody's a classic in my opinion.
I hope this iteration sticks around. It feels much more authentic than the “modern” design.
As neat as Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway is as an attraction, nothing can ever replace the Great Movie Ride. The attraction is weirdly placed in the middle of Disney’s Hollywood Studios and it’s part of this ongoing issue I have of the theme park itself with this seemly weird identity crisis of what it is in terms of theming. It’s really become a confusing hodgepodge of Disney owned IPs placed at random in a park that used to be about the celebration of movie making.
The attraction in my opinion works much better in Toon Town at Disneyland because 1) Mickey and Minnie are cartoons and 2) It’s adding to that section of the park rather than replacing anything, even though it’s nearly identical to the one in Florida.
When I hear people complain about the theming I wondered how big of a deal it really is. When I finally went in October I then understood, yeah it really is an issue. The rides were fun but walking around felt almost disorienting and I didn't have that much fun overall. At first you think who cares, as long as the rides are cool it doesn't matter but the atmosphere is just off.
Disney is having that problem in general. They need to just do a big change to DCA in Cali and DHS in Florida. It's starting to spread to other parks as well sadly due to bad decisions at the top. Princess and the Frog works in California but in Frontierland in Magic Kingdom? We'll see but I have my doubts.
@@mattmiller9809 yeah Tiana Bayou adventure in Disneyland seems like a perfect fit if they just include it with New Orleans Square or Critter Country. It’s a perfect transition between both. The same ride at Magic Kingdom feels like a stretch. But maybe they can pulll it off.
But DCA is kind of a hot mess. Being able to see Avengers Campus from Radiator Springs breaks the immersion.
Totally agree that The Great Movie ride should have been updated with all classic Disney movie scenes instead of being replaced. This version of Runaway Railway did not replace a ride and has improvements over the studio version. What a nice combination!
One nice thing about the Mansion & Pirates is that they have "loop scenes" which we call it. Where the scenes keeps on playing & showing the samething so you'll never miss a thing.
Yeah. I'll never forget the ride breaking down and being stuck in front of the banging doors as a kid D;
I think having this ride book ended with Roger Rabbit and the meet and greets plus the new playgrounds will truly be a wonderful escape for families with small children. I also love the way the Disneyland Railway drops you at the front of Toontown! Great review I agree the El Capitoon theatre is a museum to the Mouse that Disneyland deserves.
I was waiting for this to be a two second video where they play the wdwnt logo, Tom comes on screen, says, "It stinks" and they play the logo again.
Knowing how Tom feels about the original version, I’ve been waiting for this Honest Review hahaha
I prefer physical animatronics as well. However, with M&MRR, I actually prefer the projected faces as it really adds to the drawn-by-hand visuals.
I think the projected faces also work well in Radiator Springs.
But yeah, I don’t like the projected faces anywhere else.
Its the sole context where it makes sense. These are two-dimensional cartoon characters, so having a 3D face would look weird.
I so appreciate Tom’s honest reviews. He is so passionate and detailed that it caused me to want watch this video 2x.
I’ve always felt like the ride would really benefit from having projections or extra detail on the ceilings for the scenes…Every time I ride the ride, the cutoff between the projection and the roof has always taken me out of it.
Great review😎
The Runaway Railway is cute the first couple of times you ride it then it becomes a ride you can easily skip on future visits. GMR was re-ridable for decades. I never got tired of GMR. I was a tour guide there in the 90s. I am a little partial I guess.
Honestly I feel the opposite once the TCM sponsorship kicked in, the added narration was annoying
Great movie ride was a massive loss! I'll never forgive disney for many things but that's a top 3 for me. Huge mistake.
We only rode GMR out of boredom (because the park was so limited on rides at the time). It was always a walk on. It was dated, and even the "actors" didn't seem to care about their roles.
For me I’d almost always skip GMR it was pretty lackluster but RR is amazing like truly top tier ride I always want to go on it
GMR was one and done for me. The cast members phoning it in. The sets were tired. It just wasn't great any more.
"And that is why I wear pants and Pluto doesn't."
I love Tom’s honest reviews! I love listening to you talk about Disney with passion. I feel like people praise anything Disney does good and bad. Hearing you talk about the faults is amazing. How will the company grow if all they hear is the good stuff. Please keep this series going!!
No need to apologize! Your honest reviews are always appreciated.
No apologize for quality! Appreciate you getting the video out quickly and it seems extra special to hear from someone still at Disneyland that just experienced the ride!
I hope they don’t ruin Tiana’s ride with screens/shortcuts. They have one chance to get it right and need to keep cute animatronics. That’s what fans love. We can watch screens at home.
I agree with you about the FL version, I’ve ridden it 4 times and I still have no idea what the “story” is! Why are we on a train? Mickey & Minnie are in a car, trains don’t go down waterfalls, then all of a sudden we’re in some mirrored pink room with an audio animatronic Daisy leading dance lessons? And we’re still in train cars??? What??? I’m hoping this will be the last trackless screen based ride at WDW. I don’t think I like it, or the animation style. Maybe one day I’ll get it…
You have made me so excited to go on this ride. Disneyland is my home resort and I love Toontown. I cannot wait for it to reopen and to go on this better version of this ride.
Tom, regardless where you film these reviews, the community appreciate it :)
Being in the UK, it's great to hear your thoughts on this attraction, as well as others that you've done reviews for in the past.
Might I add, I love the mini rants on News Today :)
Great review. Makes a lot of sense. I just hope they keep learning (or really re-learning) what makes Disney and Imaginering great. Thanks for the review Tom.
It’s so weird to see some people have a completely opposite reaction to the same ride. We love runaway and it is probably the biggest amazement we’ve seen from our 2 year old
I have wondered if age plays a role. I find the ride to be completely manic and bizarre. Like a Disney ride dreamt up while on an acid trip. However, I am middle aged and I think maybe younger folks will love the pacing and sensory overload.
It quickly made it into my top 5 Disney rides. I think Disney "critics" only look for bad in everything in every ride.
Yes, I appreciate you putting up the video as soon as possible. I was waiting for this,
50 minutes of honest review??? Sweet!! Ill comment again after i listen.
Yes, it is called Pluto‘s Christmas Tree. Those candles on top of the mantel looked amazing! I would have teared up too.
Thank you for your fantastic, and honest review. The attraction is still a meh for me overall, but I like the Disneyland version slightly better than the WDW version.
Great video and review Tom. Always appreciate your honesty.
Was looking forward to this and you did a great job with it! They really did knocked it out of the park with the queue and I'm glad the DL Imagineers got the budget and time to really do it well and also improve on the WDW version. Looking forward to the exit shop and the rest of the land.
Hoping to get a honest review of Wondrous Journeys and World of Color - One!!
Same thing happened with guardians of the galaxy cosmic rewind instead of animatronic they just have screens! And there are scenes with one screen and it feels soooo empty
I don't hate the Minnie and Mickey's Runaway Railroad, but I really miss the old Great Movie Ride. I have a GMR pin in my collection, and the story of how I got it is amazing. It came to me two years after GMR went away. I was at Magic Kingdom, and I wasn't feeling very well. The day before, when we were in the queue for Rise Of The Resistance at Galaxy's Edge, my wife got a phone call telling us her mother had passed away. A Cast Member noticed I was not very happy, and asked me why. I told her and she pulled that GMR pin out of her pocket and gave it to me. Honestly, it's not like it turned my day around completely, but the gesture was so kind and sincere that it really made a difference, and I will never forget it. Disney Cast Members are the BEST!!!
Tom, love the room you're in. Best backdrop. DL Pirates is far superior to the rushed Florida version. MM Runaway in DL is an example of how the sequel out doing the original. Look @ how ALL the Pirates evolved in storytelling, pacing, even boat/visual technology. Walt was a great storyteller. The frustration of Walt was not enough $$$, but when he got some, he'd come up with new techniques and with new tools, tell a better story. He knew when when a piece of "business" got in the way of telling a good story. Yep! basic stuff, like NOT showing "how" the magic is done is key to proper Imagineering. Thanks Tom + the Mickey shirt.
Please. PLEASE tell me there was a reference to Epic Mickey in there. I saw the Mario Kart ripoff, they HAVE to have Epic Mickey!
I need a Playlist of Toms Honest Reviews & rants
Great review! Thank you! For all you guys do!
Was waiting for this review! Thank you, Tom, always for keeping us informed.
Great review, Tom! I'm glad this Runaway Railway is an improvement over the Studios one overall.
Well done Tom! Always dig the honest review series
What a great, thorough, and enticing review, Tom! I totally trust your opinions and sensibilities as it concerns all things Disney. My GOSH you are so freaking GOOD at your JOB!!! Thank you. I’ll be at Disneyland in May to see for myself.
22:55 The way Tom's eyebrow goes up is perfect here.
Also, this is the best Honest Review yet! I can't say I agree or disagree (since I haven't ridden either version), but my opinion is that the Disneyland version is certainly far superior in every way. I am a huge train fan, so the fact that the original Disneyland Railroad drops guests off at the Toontown station, only for them to ride Runaway Railway and exit through the EnginEar giftshop with a model railroad running around the ceiling is pure bliss.
A queue ranking video would be awesome
Thank you so much for showing us the "new and improved" RR. We were feeling resentful for taking out Roger Rabbit sort of like your feeling of booting GMR, but at least they put some more effort in it. Resembles the care and detail that was put into the Art Deco details in CA ADventure, even in the stores. We could see and hear the emotion in your voice for the cue that told us that we would adore the Mousekateer era scene and the photos of Walt since that was our time. Now that it is open here, we're moving to FL so, oh well. We can come back and visit. Just know you probably had a part in inspiring and lobbying for these great upgrades. Let's hear it for ZANY!🤪🐭
Roger rabit is still in toon town and will open later.
I would love this ride a lot more, if they just built more of it physically. They could still use projection mapping to add a layer of cartoon which couldn’t otherwise be added.
But instead, they just threw up a flat wall with a little bit of depth, and called it a day. I think the ending Park scene is a prime example of the power of the technology!
I just rode it for the first time tonight and the queue is gorgeous. It’s the perfect homage to Mickey and a jewel in the new Toontown refurbishment. Just what it needed. 👍🏻
Not gunna lie, this reminds me of what my brother said when we first got off! He called it clever which for him was one of the biggest compliments something can receive. For reference, he is a massive Star Wars nerd and his review of Rise of the Resistance was that it was "ok, it was fine" where as my review (being more of a Trek fanand actually not liking Star Wars at all) was that it was amazing and a must do when the wait is reasonable (so like below 75 minutes). Him saying Railway was clever was a glowing endorsement for this ride!
The queue looks exactly like it was made to fit perfecrfly in Walt Disney Studios Paris, let's hope the rumors are tre 🤩 I love your honest reviews
I actually really love the ride. I think it’s cute and fits perfect in Disneyland.
I pretty much agree with you. Thanks for your honesty. I to would love to see more dimensional sets. Universal is catching up with details.
Solid honest review. People need to chill and understand that’s it’s all subjective and it’s ok to disagree. As a 40 year park goer myself. I can appreciate his point of view
Thank you sir for your thoughts and history with this ride.
Did see your vidoe of the queue and was very impressed that it was so steeped in the history of Michley Mouse and really brings his career to life.
Now hopefully DWorld's Tron coaster provides an improved experiece over the original.
That Christmas part remind me so much. I almost forget that short I love to watch in my childhood. The first time I saw that part, I feel familiar but can’t really think what it is until I saw the mini Santa. It such a great detail
Listening to your appreciation of the details in the cue made me sad remembering a time when everything at Disney had lavish care. May this be a turn around. And a pox on those jagoffs who've been nickel and diming it to death while living like drug cartel capos on their bonuses.
Thanks for making the trip to the Original and largest Disneyland. Wish I had run into you. Maybe next trip from the SoCal to Florida.
The problem with the ride animatronic figures is simply that this new animation style just doesn't translate well from 2D. I think that going with this style was a big mistake.
"I do not make films for children... or, at least, not primarily for children."
"You're dead if you aim for kids."
"We design the films to appeal to ourselves."
"The adults have the money; ... children don't have any money."
- Walt Disney
Are we not going to talk about how the window in the train where we see Goody has a curved top but it is clearly just a TV monitor with Goofy on it. It is cut off on the top. Easily fixable with a larger screen with the physical prop blocking/masking the edges. They did it better with the living seas with Nemo.
38:40 when i first saw this was in the ride queue, i thought of the shorts from playhouse disney or disney junior called mickey mousekesize, but now i think "not to be confused with those exercise-focused shorts" since that is not from my childhood
Those little details really show you where the love is in the company. Definitely Disneyland receives the details and love.
I can't wait for your Wonderous Journeys and WOC reviews!
The style of the new Mickey cartoon shorts makes me think of Steamboat Willie. Honestly this version of Mickey feels more like the original Mickey than the 80s/90s Mickey.
That video montage part was one of my favorite parts of the ride - I love old movies too and agree TCM is great.
I was there on Friday Tom. Once again, we didn't get on a new attraction because of the stupid boarding pass. How you got on twice is amazing. I'll probably get on Mickey's railway in about 2 years, which is how long it took to get on Rise of the resistance. I just wish Disney would dump the whole thing. It's no fun being on my phone all day...Keep up the great work!
I don't think I'll never not be a little sad that we didn't get The Great Muppet Movie Ride. That Miss Piggy/Busby Burkley scene would've been an amazing animatronic.
The Great Movie Ride was my daughter’s favorite ride at HS too.
Great Movie Ride was the best ride ever, and I hope they build something like it in the future.
I agree the Mickey & Minnie in these rides are AWFUL! They cheaped out (Cheap-EK era). This ride needed to be a separate ride like it is in DL. It will eat up more riders. Unlike WDW where it doesn't. Also The GMR was designed to be upgraded & it wasn't. So when you don't do what you said, then complain that the ride is dated, the company has nobody to blame but themselves!
I'll have to go see it in person, but the El Capitoon theater seems to be plumb, with fairly straight lines, as opposed to the extremely "cartoony" curves of the Joe Lanzisero-designed 1993 Toontown. I think if I'm right, this demonstrates the problem with the current group of head Imagineers. Most of these Imagineers just don't seem to get it.
It's like runaway railway doesn't fit in place well in disney world, but in disneyland it fits right in toontown. Splash Mountain fit slightly better in Disneyland Critter Country than Disney World Frontierland, but the difference is amplified with Tiana'a Bayou
Where did you get the shirt??
Will there be a review for the Disney 100 celebration at Disneyland???
I agree. I got to go on GMR once, while I thought it was old looking and needed updating, I loved it. I thought of the Alien part after quite a bit. I rode Railway the year it opened in studios, when we walked out we said, aw it was cute and that's it, never thought about it again. I totally noticed the large rooms and bright eyes too.
I truly wish they would stay with the details, the originality, the love, and the experience like before. That stays with you always.
It’s so nice to have Tom Corless back!
Take us with you when the gift Shop is open, please. And Roger Rabbit Cartoon spin also.
The queue sounds amazing! I am in CT but would love to make another trip west and include this ride in my visit. I still mourn The Great Movie Ride but love Mickey & Minnie. But I was sorely disappointed my first ride on Runaway Railway in Florida. Its an ok ride but should never have replaced TGMR but given its own building and a not so boring queue. Thanks for the review Tom.
Wasn't Buzz Lightyear the first animatronic with a screen face? It was spectacular when the technology was new. Thank you for pointing out the "props" in the queue. What a brilliant idea.
Fantastic review!
Living in Southern California, I now know to pass the Chinese Theater when in Florida. Stick to my local version.
That film montage…. Gave me goosebumps it was soooo good!
Tom your so right about pacing on this ride. If your in the first car you only see the beginning of the action and in the last car most of the action is over. We realized the last time we rode it that if your in one of the middle cars it’s a much better ride. What a difference. Can’t wait to ride the West Coast version
I can not wait to ride Mickey & Minnie runaway railway in September 11th to the 15th
Thank you for the review tom... The que area look very good better than DS version.. if I would go out , I would just do the que and tell them I don't need to do the ride....still as good as a best buy video room...again thank you...
WIGS. 👍❤️👍❤️👍
Tbh I love the concept but Tom has valid points about it feeling like a large empty room with just screens. I’m also not a fan of the new cartoon style. Like exactly what Tom said about the animatronics is so true! Mickey and Minnie remind me of the jack in the box head. I don’t like the look of the art nor the voice of the new Mickey 😢
I think this ride is a rare beast in WDW- it looks better on UA-cam videos than it is in real life.
Will you have a honest review of the new nighttime shows?
Thank you! I would definitely love to see an easter egg video!
Hey, Tom. I feel that in Disneyland version of MMRR Minnie was still voiced by Russi Taylor instead of supposedly Kaitlyn Robrock.
I'll be honest my favorite thing about florida MMRAR is that it did away with the just *dreadful* TCM overlay on the great movie ride.
That overly really broke the magic for my enthusiasm towards the old ride and it's concept. The things I loved about the ride were clearly not sustainable, being the cast member & guest interaction, the feeling of being an active participant in a movie about movies.
Other then that, I think it's a very cute attraction. It's sensory overload for me and the like 5-6 times I've ridden it, I've always been spotting and appreciating new things in the projections. I just really like the ride.
I can't wait for someday to see the queue of the California version, it sounds like a real treat.
Kali River ride WDW also does an excellent job of setting the stage as you move through the queue
Here in California we don’t always get better clones of Florida rides. (Thinking about Tower of Terror.) It is good that they upped their game here.
Thank you for this review. I never knew quite why I didn't care for Runaway Railway. This was like a light bulb moment. It's because every time I got off the ride, I felt like I didn't see half of it. It passed by in a blur. Thanks again.
I took my mom on the ride in HS and we where the last car. I knew what the ride was all about and knew the story but for my mom was so lost. You hardly get any of the actual story when your in the back.
Thanks for the video.
Tom, love your shirt man !!
Thank you Tom for your honest review. The Great Movie Ride was my favorite ride and I agree that it should have been updated or overhauled. Not replaced the way it was. I agree 1000% with everything you have said 🙂
No need to apologize your reviews are always welcome
My daughter is not a fan of rides that rely heavily of video screens. My problem with Runaway Railway is the lack of cohesive story. The dance studio scene, for example, makes no sense and certainly has NOTHING to do with a railroad train. I think it would be more fun if the runaway train cars went through chaos around a fictional cartoon city, like Mr. Toads wild ride
I rode the ride three times on my latest vacation, and honestly it's a great ride and I don't see why people hate it so much. I know, most of it ARE screens but to me the characters have depth on the screen which blew me away. It felt like this was a real lived-in world with all of the amazing animation. It's really nice to look at, and I don't think it's lazy at all. Also, why are people so upset about the story? That's not the point, really. Not every ride needs to have a Rise of the Resistance level of plot where the riders are integral to a plot, and this ride shines when it's just being a fun cartoon ride. My family is full of pessimist and we were all extremely happy after getting off. If you don't like it, fine. But I do, and that's what matters to me. :)
I’m going to Disneyland for the first time in October and I can’t wait to see toon town. Tom thank for another unbiased review.
You’re gonna ❤! Have a great trip!
The great movie ride is one of the most fondest memories of my childhood. It lit a fire within me. Sad my children will never have the same experiences. I am not one for vapid experiences.
BTW -- the first projection face for a character was Buzz Lighyear in the Asro Blaster attractions.